Summary
Bucktown, USA is a 1975 American crime action blaxploitation film released by American International Pictures starring Fred Williamson.
| Bucktown | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Arthur Marks |
| Written by | Bob Ellison |
| Produced by | Bernard Schwartz |
| Starring | Fred Williamson Pam Grier Thalmus Rasulala Tony King |
| Cinematography | Robert Birchall |
| Edited by | George Folsey, Jr. |
| Music by | Johnny Pate |
| Distributed by | American International Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $370,000 |
Plot edit
Fred Williamson stars as Duke Johnson, a former black activist who arrives in Bucktown to bury his brother, a bar owner who was killed for refusing to pay crooked white cops for protection. Duke realizes he needs help. After being threatened himself, he contacts his old friend Roy (Thalmus Rasulala) and his associates to come and help. But after disposing of the corrupt constabulary, Roy's gang decide to take over the town for themselves, and the new bosses become as bad as the old bosses. In order to stop them, Duke must defend the town all by himself.[1]
Cast edit
- Fred Williamson as Duke Johnson
- Pam Grier as Aretha
- Thalmus Rasulala as Roy
- Tony King as T.J.
- Bernie Hamilton as Harley
- Art Lund as Chief Patterson
- Tierre Turner as Steve
- Carl Weathers as Hambone
- Morgan Upton as Sam
- Jim Bohan as Clete
Music edit
The film's score was written by Johnny Pate, and its main theme sung by Luther Rabb. The soundtrack was released by American International Records.[2]
Reception edit
The New York Times reviewer Vincent Canby gave the film a negative review, calling it "really bad" and "both silly and vicious," though he praised the performances of Williamson and Grier, saying the two "display enough of their own private wit to save the movie from seeming to be quite the mess it is."[3]
In a 2012 interview, director Arthur Marks described the film as "a big success," noting that Samuel Arkoff's American International Pictures saw the film and wanted to distribute it (Marks had previously distributed through his own General Film Corporation). He claimed, "it made back its initial cost very quickly, and played every inner-city in the North. It was making --playing the State Lake Theater in Chicago-- at [sic] $60,000 and 70,000 a week." Mark's work with AIP on the film led to their distributing his subsequent films.[4]
Release edit
Bucktown has been released on DVD by MGM and blu-ray, most recently in 2019 by Scorpion Releasing.
Remake edit
Bucktown was loosely remade as the film Full Clip (2004).[5] Williamson also borrowed heavily from the film's plot for his 1996 film Original Gangstas, which also co-starred Grier.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Gary A. Smith, The American International Pictures Video Guide, McFarland 2009 p 35
- ^ Johnny Pate – Bucktown (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)|http://www.discogs.com/Johnny-Pate-Bucktown-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack/release/1044593
- ^ Canby, Vincent (July 13, 1975). "Movie Review - Bucktown (1975) Screen:'Witch Mountain':Disney Fantasy Shares Bill With 'Cinderella'". The New York Times. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
- ^ Elijah Drenner (director) (June 29, 2010). Arthur's Kids: A Conversation with Arthur Marks (short documentary).
- ^ Johnson, Albert "Prodigy"; Checkoway, Laura (7 February 2012). My Infamous Life: The Autobiography of Mobb Deep's Prodigy. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781439103197.
External links edit
- Bucktown at IMDb
- Bucktown at Rotten Tomatoes
